YOUNG midfielder Allan Stevenson was the toast of County supporters after his superbly struck shot, four minutes from time, brought County a well deserved point against high-flyers Weymouth.

The Dorset side, managed by Steve Claridge, had the benefit of their player-manager setting up a 17th-minute goal for Luke Nightingale but, in the end, it needed two clearances off their goal-line to deny Newport all three points.

Nightingale's goal silenced the home crowd for a period, although Newport provided some chances with Garry Shephard twice heading wide and Mark Dickeson also going close.

County took a little while to settle in the second half, but Jeff Eckhardt first failed to connect with an Andrew Mumford corner and then, from a Gary Lloyd flag-kick he saw his header cleared off the line by Lee Philpott.